Working to drive transparent, consistent emissions accounting and disclosure
Clear and consistent site- and product-level emissions data is essential. Reliable emissions data enables steel buyers, investors, and other stakeholders to effectively assess the emissions performance of steel production and make informed decisions, helping to drive industry progress towards decarbonisation.
ResponsibleSteel Certified Sites are required to disclose emissions data for publication on ResponsibleSteel's website as part of their commitment to transparent emissions accounting and data disclosure.
As we start to see wider adoption of ResponsibleSteel’s crude steel GHG emissions accounting methodology at the site level, and more sites working towards achieving ResponsibleSteel Certified Steel, we will move towards being able to compare data reliably, enabling like-for-like assessments of emissions performance.
What data are sites required to disclose?
Under Principle 10 of the ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard, sites are required to disclose emissions data depending on their level of certification.
Sites certified against ResponsibleSteel’s Core requirements must measure, record and verify their total site-level GHG emissions using a regionally or internationally recognised methodology. Due to the variability in emissions accounting methodologies chosen, the GHG data across Core Certified Sites must not be directly compared. The site may choose to use the ‘cradle-to-crude’ emissions accounting methodology developed by ResponsibleSteel, but it is not mandatory. Core Site Certification can apply to steelmaking sites as well as upstream or downstream manufacturing sites in the value chain.
Sites that have achieved certification against ResponsibleSteel’s Progress Level requirements to market and sell products as Certified Steel must use the consistent ‘cradle-to-crude’ emissions accounting methodology developed by ResponsibleSteel. This enables like-for-like comparison of crude steel GHG emissions intensity across sites globally. Only steelmaking sites can be certified to sell Certified Steel. These sites must verify and disclose their:
- Crude steel emissions intensity;
- Proportion of scrap used as metallic input;
- The Decarbonisation Progress Level achieved; and
- Product-level carbon footprint data.
While disclosing emissions at site level aids in the comparability of data, the Production Standard also permits the disclosure of a weighted average across a portfolio of sites, provided the portfolio meets the requirements for a ‘strategic business unit’ as defined in the ResponsibleSteel Glossary. In some cases, due to the nature of the business unit, a portfolio may consist of both certified and non-certified sites.
Data gaps
It’s important to note that not all data is available yet. This could be because:
- A site is preparing for an upcoming surveillance or re-certification audit, after which the most recent data will be published; or
- A site was certified under an earlier version of the Production Standard. Public disclosure of GHG emissions data only became a formal requirement with the publication of Version 2.0 of the Production Standard in September 2022. Sites certified under an earlier version are not obliged to publish this data on ResponsibleSteel’s website until it comes time for re-certification.
ResponsibleSteel's Methodology
Comparability of GHG emissions data is only meaningful when consistent measurement methodologies are applied.
To strengthen comparability and accelerate the industry’s transition, ResponsibleSteel encourages all steelmaking sites, whether pursuing certification or not, to adopt ResponsibleSteel's 'cradle to crude' emissions accounting methodology and to publish their data.
*ArcelorMittal Europe Portfolio
Certified Sites: ArcelorMittal Asturias Avilés-Gijón (Spain); ArcelorMittal France North Basse-Indre (France); ArcelorMittal Bremen Bottrop (Germany); ArcelorMittal Bremen Bremen (Germany); ArcelorMittal Poland Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland); ArcelorMittal France North Desvres (France); ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt Eisenhüttenstadt (Germany); ArcelorMittal France North Dunkerque (France); ArcelorMittal Asturias Etxebarri (Spain); ArcelorMittal Méditerranée Fos-sur-Mer (France); ArcelorMittal France North Florange (France); ArcelorMittal Belgium Geel (Belgium); ArcelorMittal Belgium Genk (Belgium); ArcelorMittal Belgium Gent (Belgium); ArcelorMittal Poland Kraków (Poland); ArcelorMittal Poland Chorzów Królewska (Poland); ArcelorMittal Asturias Legasa (Spain); ArcelorMittal Asturias Lesaka (Spain); ArcelorMittal Belgium Liège Cold (Belgium); ArcelorMittal France North Mardyck (France); ArcelorMittal France North Montataire (France); ArcelorMittal France North Mouzon (France); ArcelorMittal Asturias Sagunto (Spain); ArcelorMittal Méditerranée Saint-Chély (France); ArcelorMittal Poland Sosnowiec (Poland); ArcelorMittal Poland Świętochłowice (Poland); ArcelorMittal Poland Zdzieszowice (Poland); ArcelorMittal Belval & Differdange Differdange (Luxembourg); ArcelorMittal Belval & Differdange Rodange (Luxembourg); ArcelorMittal Duisburg Ruhrort (Germany); ArcelorMittal Warszawa Warszawa (Poland); Industeel Belgium Charleroi (Belgium); Industeel France Châteauneuf (France); ArcelorMittal France Contrisson 1 (France); ArcelorMittal France Contrisson 2 (France); ArcelorMittal Belval & Differdange Esch-Belval (Luxembourg); Industeel France Le Creusot (France)
Non-certified sites: ArcelorMittal Refractories Kraków (Poland); ArcelorMittal CLN Avellino (Italy); ArcelorMittal Sestao Steel Plant (Spain); ArcelorMittal Bergara (Spain); ArcelorMittal Gandrange (France); ArcelorMittal Hamburg GmbH (Germany); ArcelorMittal Hunedoara (Romania); ArcelorMittal Jorf Lasfar (Morocco); ArcelorMittal Nador (Morocco); ArcelorMittal Olaberria (Spain); ArcelorMittal Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina); ArcelorMittal Bissen (Luxembourg); ArcelorMittal Karviná (Czech Republic); ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Reims (France); ArcelorMittal Roman (Romania)
**ArcelorMittal Brazil Portfolio
Certified sites: ArcelorMittal Tubarão (Tubarão, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Monlevade (João Monlevade, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Juiz de Fora (Juiz de Fora, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Piracicaba (Piracicaba, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Vega (Vega, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Barra Mansa (Barra Mansa, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Resende (Resende, Brazil)
Non-certified sites: ArcelorMittal Mineração-Andrade (Conceição do Mato Dentro, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Mineração-Serra Azul (Conceição do Mato Dentro, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Bio Florestas (Nova Venécia, Brazil); ArcelorMittal Pecém (São Gonçalo do Amarante, Brazil)
Note: ArcelorMittal São Paulo and Sabara are not currently included within ArcelorMittal Brazil's Portfolio calculation. This data will be updated in August 2025.
